TORONTO (Nov. 2, 2017) – Following on the heels of the recent success of CTV’s THE DISAPPEARANCE, CTV’s latest original event series, THE INDIAN DETECTIVE, debuts Thursday, Nov. 23 at 9 p.m. ET/PT on CTV and CTV GO, as announced by Russell Peters today. Securing a coveted Thursday night timeslot immediately following the two biggest shows on television, THE BIG BANG THEORY (8 p.m.) and YOUNG SHELDON (8:30 p.m.), the four-part, one-hour, comedy-drama stars the global comedy sensation in his first starring scripted role for television, and was filmed on location in Cape Town, Toronto and Mumbai last spring. Click here for a sneak peek.

THE INDIAN DETECTIVE, a classic fish out-of-water story with equal doses of comedy and high-stakes drama, follows Toronto cop Doug D’Mello (Peters) as he becomes embroiled in a murder case while visiting his father in Mumbai. The investigation leads Doug to uncover a dangerous conspiracy while dealing with his own ambivalence towards a country where, despite his heritage, he is an outsider.

**Media Note** – Artwork, Character Descriptions, and Episode Synopses for THE INDIAN DETECTIVE Available at BellMediaPR.ca

“Russell Peters is a must-see Canadian icon, whose talent has been recognized and celebrated all over the world by millions of fans,” said Mike Cosentino, President, Content and Programming, Bell Media. “We’ve given THE INDIAN DETECTIVE a much-deserved prime spot, during television’s biggest night, and are excited to share Russell’s first series with viewers across the country.”

"What with all that's going on in the world today, why wouldn’t Canadians want to join me and escape all of that and watch THE INDIAN DETECTIVE?”, said Russell Peters. “It's an easy, fun show to watch, and I think they're going to love it, or at least like it. If they don't, they're dead inside."

THE INDIAN DETECTIVE also stars Canadian icon William Shatner as a billionaire property developer from Toronto who may have ties to the criminal underworld; Bollywood Movie Award-winning veteran actor Anupam Kher (The Big Sick, Silver Linings Playbook, Bend It Like Beckham) as Stanley D’Mello, Doug’s father and a retired airline pilot who moved back to India after the death of his wife; Christina Cole, (Casino Royale, SUITS) as Constable Robyn Gerner, Doug’s tough, beautiful, all-Canadian partner; Mishqah Parthiephal (SNAKE PARK) as Priya Sehgal, an earnest and dedicated lawyer, born into an upper-middle class family in Mumbai; and Hamza Haq (mother!, QUANTICO, Bon Cop, Bad Cop 2), as Mumbai drug lord Gopal Chandekar, and who recently appeared on The Hollywood Reporter’s “Canada’s Rising Stars: 15 Breakouts Making an Impact in Hollywood” list.

In the premiere episode of THE INDIAN DETECTIVE (Nov. 23 at 9 p.m. ET/PT on CTV and CTV GO), when a suspected heroin shipment Doug (Russell Peters) and Robyn (Christina Cole) were secretly investigating turns out to be children’s bikes, Doug’s dream of becoming a detective fades into oblivion. Coerced into going to Mumbai to visit his father Stanley (Anupam Kher), Doug meets Priya Sehgal (Mishqah Parthiephal), a beautiful, passionate legal-aid lawyer. Together, they fight to uncover the truth behind a false murder confession, and while finding his stride in Mumbai, Doug realizes his failed case back home might have roots in his homeland.

THE INDIAN DETECTIVE is executive produced by Golden Globe® -winning and Emmy® -nominated Frank Spotnitz (THE MAN IN THE HIGH CASTLE, THE XFILES) of Big Light Productions and Lance Samuels and Daniel Iron (MADIBA, THE BOOK OF NEGROES) of Blue Ice Pictures.

THE INDIAN DETECTIVE is a co-production between Big Light Productions, Blue Ice Pictures, the IDC, Wonder Films, and Bell Media. The series was created, executive produced, and written for Russell Peters by Spotnitz and Smita Bhide (HUNTED, TRANSPORTER: THE SERIES). The series is directed by BAFTA award-winner Sandy Johnson (BENIDORM, JONATHAN CREEK) and produced by Trevor Hopkins (FORTITUDE, CUFFS). It is executive produced by Blue Ice Pictures’ Daniel Iron and Lance Samuels (MADIBA, THE BOOK OF NEGROES), Wonder Films’ Mark Burton (Water, Tallulah), Russell Peters (HIP-HOP EVOLUTION), CPI Pictures’ Clayton Peters (Breakaway, RUSSELL PETERS VERSUS THE WORLD), and Paul Canterna. Co-executive producer is Sharon Remmer (THE MAN IN THE HIGH CASTLE, MEDICI: MASTERS OF FLORENCE).

THE INDIAN DETECTIVE is an official co-production among Detective Doug Productions Inc., Instinctive Film GmbH, and Brightway Investment (Pty) Ltd.

Production Executives for Bell Media are: Sarah Fowlie, who is Director, Original Programming, Comedy; Chris Kelley, Production Executive, Original Programming; and Corrie Coe, who is Senior Vice-President, Original Programming, Bell Media. Pat DiVittorio is Vice-President, CTV and Specialty Programming. Mike Cosentino is President, Content and Programming, Bell Media. Randy Lennox is President, Bell Media. The project is financed by Blue Ice Pictures and the Industrial Development Corporation of South Africa (IDC).

About Bell Media
Original Programming Bell Media has commissioned some of Canada’s mostwatched and most-acclaimed original programming, working with the best Canadian independent producers in the country. Hit series commissioned by CTV include the hit drama CARDINAL, the record-breaking THE AMAZING RACE CANADA and MASTERCHEF CANADA, new original series THE DISAPPEARANCE, THE INDIAN DETECTIVE, and THE DETAIL, and the upcoming international TV format THE LAUNCH. Among the original series on Bell Media specialty and streaming platforms are Space’s KILLJOYS and WYNONNA EARP; CraveTV hit comedy LETTERKENNY; Discovery’s first-ever drama FRONTIER; Comedy’s satirical news series THE BEAVERTON as well as the upcoming CORNER GAS ANIMATED; and multiple series and specials for food and lifestyle channel Gusto, including ONE WORLD KITCHEN. Discovery is also home to Bell Media’s hit factual franchise HIGHWAY THRU HELL, HEAVY RESCUE: 401, and CANADA’S WORST DRIVER, among others. Bell Media is one of the first media companies in North America to commit to producing all new original scripted series in 4K.

About CTV
CTV is Canada’s #1 private broadcaster. Featuring a wide range of quality news, sports, information, and entertainment programming, CTV has been Canada’s most-watched television network for the past 16 years in a row. CTV is a division of Bell Media, Canada’s premier multimedia company with leading assets in television, radio, digital, and Out-of-Home. Bell Media is owned by BCE Inc. (TSX, NYSE: BCE), Canada’s largest communications company. More information about CTV can be found on the network’s website at CTV.ca.